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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23135017">Something In The Shadows</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/RedShirtWriter34567/pseuds/RedShirtWriter34567'>RedShirtWriter34567</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Fright Night (2011), Twilight (Movies)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Bathing/Washing, Cutting, Emotional Baggage, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Hair Brushing, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, M/M, Mental Health Issues, self-care</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-03-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-03-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 08:02:40</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,391</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23135017</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/RedShirtWriter34567/pseuds/RedShirtWriter34567</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Peter is going through a dark time and won't speak to anyone, except Aro.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Aro (Twilight)/Peter Vincent</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>44</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Something In The Shadows</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Because I'm going through a dark time right now, I'm doing what I do best: throwing myself into my writing, making the characters feel what I'm feeling. Sorry Peter!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Peter, please pick up," Charley murmured, anxiously shifting his weight from foot to foot.</p><p>The ringing continued for a minute more before it went to Peter's voicemail. Charley cursed and hung up, not bothering to add another message to the several he'd already left. He stuck his phone back in his pocket and ran a hand through his hair, looking over at Amy with worry in his eyes.</p><p>"This is bad,' he said. "We haven't heard from him in four days."</p><p>"I know," Amy said, taking her feet off the table. "Between the two of us, we've probably left over a dozen messages. Do you think he's called Aro at all?"</p><p>"I don't know," Charley admitted. "But we know how Peter is. He keeps his problems to himself, hides them from people who love him like Aro."</p><p>"Should we call Aro?" Amy suggested. "Have him look in on Peter?"</p><p>"That's a good idea," Charley mused. "But how do we know he won't just ignore Aro like he's been ignoring us?"</p><p>"We both know that Peter can't ignore Aro," Amy said, standing up from the couch and coming over to Charley. "He doesn't let Peter ignore him. I think it's worth a shot. Do you have Aro's number?"</p><p>"Yeah, his office number," Charley answered, taking his phone out again. "Hopefully he's still there."</p><p>He scrolled through his phone and found the vampire's number. He selected it and put his phone on speaker, listening to the dial tone. It lasted a minute before someone picked up.</p><p>"Hello?" Aro asked.</p><p>"Hey, Aro," Charley said. "It's Charley and Amy."</p><p>"Ah. what a surprise," the vampire said, sounding genuine. "To what do I owe the pleasure of this call?"</p><p>"We were just wondering of you've seen or heard from Peter at all," Amy explained.</p><p>"Not lately," Aro admitted. "We last saw each other a few days ago, after a movie night in his apartment. Why?"</p><p>"It's just that we haven't heard from him in four days," Charley explained. "We've both called and left messages, even went to his apartment, but he didn't answer the door."</p><p>"How odd," Aro said. "He seemed fine when I was with him. What do you think is wrong?"</p><p>"Maybe nothing," Charley said. "Hopefully nothing, but Peter has these....problems from time to time. He isolates himself, turns off his phone, drinks himself to sleep. Some days he won't even get out of bed. This is the first time something like this has happened in a long time I think."</p><p>"Could you check on him, Aro?" Amy asked. "Or at least call him to see if he's okay?"</p><p>"Very well," Aro agreed. "I'll call him right now, and if he doesn't answer, I'll go to his home. Thank you for letting me know."</p><p>They hung up, and Charley and Amy looked at each other, hoping that since Peter wouldn't talk to them, he'd at least speak to his lover.</p><p> </p><p>.........................<br/>
Aro was true to his word, as he called Peter as soon he hung up with Charley and Amy. He anxiously tapped his fingers against his desk, realizing just how silent his lover had been over the past four days. He hadn't thought that was suspicious, thinking that Peter was just busy. The dial tone continued for a long time, but just as Aro was about to hang up, it clicked and Peter answered.</p><p>"Hello?" he asked. His voice sounded hoarse.</p><p>"Peter?" Aro said, relief flooding through him. "Can you hear me?"</p><p>"Course I can hear you," Peter griped. "What do you want?"</p><p>"Charles and Amy called me," the vampire explained. "They're concerned about you. They said that you're ignoring their calls and that they even came to your apartment, but you didn't answer the door."</p><p>Peter was silent. Aro could hear his breathing and the sound of creaking mattress springs. Was he in bed? At six o'clock in the evening? The silence dragged on until Aro spoke again.</p><p>"What's going on, my love?" he asked gently. "Are you sick?"</p><p>"No," Peter answered quickly. Then he sucked in a breath and let it out slowly. "Well, I'm not physically sick. It's more...." He sighed. "I don't really know how to describe it."</p><p>"I see," Aro murmured. "May I come over, Peter? Please?"</p><p>"Yeah, alright," the hunter agreed, sounding both relieved and unnerved.</p><p>"Shall I bring anything with me?" Aro asked. </p><p>"Dunno," Peter said. "Maybe some soup or something. And some water."</p><p>"Alright," Aro said. "I'll be over soon, dearheart."</p><p> </p><p>.................</p><p>Fifteen minutes later, Aro was using the key Peter had given him to let himself into his lover's penthouse. He set the bag containing cans of soup and bottles of water on the table by the door. The whole apartment was quiet, all the lights off, the curtains drawn, but that didn't stop Aro. He walked through the living room, noticing how unused it looked. The kitchen and the bar, however, were a different story. Dishes were piled up in the sink and some were even shattered on the floor. Several bottles of Scotch and whiskey were missing from the bar.</p><p>"Peter?" Aro called out into the silence.</p><p>"M'back here," Peter's voice called from his bedroom.</p><p>Aro walked toward his lover's bedroom and opened the door. Peter's room was pitch black, and it even took the vampire a minute to adjust to the darkness. Once he did, however, he could see the destruction that had been wrought throughout the room. Broken bottles littered the carpet, crunching under Aro's shoes. Clothes spilled from the closet and the chest of drawers. There was a large scuff on the wall, like something had been thrown at it. The bed was messy too, sheets and pillows hanging over the mattress, Peter's plush bat sitting on the headboard, mounds of blankets piled in the center. They shifted and Peter's face appeared. He looked terrible. His hair was a rat's nest of tangles, his skin looking sallow and sickly. His brown eyes were sunken in, crusted with dried eyeliner, underscored with dark bags. He looked scarily thin, like he hadn't been eating.</p><p>"Aro?" he croaked. His voice sounded like he was out of practice in using it.</p><p>"I'm here, my love," Aro said, coming over to sit on the edge of the bed. "What's going on, Peter? What happened to you?"</p><p>"It's complicated," Peter mumbled, looking toward the wall and avoiding Aro's eyes. The vampire waited patiently, watching his lover sink his teeth into his bottom lip. Finally. Peter let out a tense breath.</p><p>"It's just that, sometimes I get into these moods," he explained, anxiously rubbing his neck with both hands. "Some days I feel great. Like I can take on the world. I sleep better and I feel better, and I want to be around people. But then I hit these.....downswings. My nightmares come back. Once they start again, I can't sleep. I don't want to sleep, but I know I should. So I drink and it knocks me out. My thoughts become so dark and negative and go too fast. I...." He paused, his voice wavering. "I cry all the time. I don't want to be around people, so I just....shut down. I hide, isolate myself. turn my phone off. Ignore the people I care about."</p><p>"I'm so sorry, Peter," Aro said softly, an immense wave of sadness coursing through him at the sight of his lover in such torment. "I had no idea this happened to you sometimes."</p><p>"It's not your fault," Peter told him, looking into the vampire's crimson eyes. "I never told you, but maybe I should have."</p><p>He shifted around a little and grunted in pain softly. The blankets fell away from his body, revealing the black boxers hanging from his thin hips. But the most concerning things were the bright red sores lining his hips, looking almost like blisters. </p><p>"Peter," Aro began, reaching out and grasping one his lover's hands, noticing with a frown that his black-painted nails had been bitten down to the nail bed, "how long have you been in bed?"</p><p>"Dunno," Peter admitted. "Maybe a week?"</p><p>"Peter," Aro whispered. </p><p>The hunter bit his lip again, looking embarrassed. He tried to move away from the vampire, but Aro gently yet firmly gripped his hand. Peter looked back up into his lover's face, expecting to see pity but only seeing love and concern in those red eyes.</p><p>"Don't worry, my love," Aro whispered tenderly. "I'll help you get back to yourself. Will you let me help you?"</p><p>Peter looked apprehensive but he nodded. Aro smiled at him and caressed his cheek. </p><p>"First things first, you need to get out of bed and take a shower. Or a bath," he said. "Which would you prefer?"</p><p>"Bath," Peter said. "It's more helpful and relaxing than a shower when this happens."</p><p>"Very well," Aro agreed. "Come along, love."</p><p>He took Peter's hand and slowly pulled him out of bed to his feet, leading him to the bathroom. He opened the door and switched on the light, illuminating the granite and marble counters, the large bathtub separate from the walk-in shower. Peter winced at the light as he sat down on the closed toilet. Aro began filling the tub with warm water, adding in some bath salts and bubble bath that smelled like blackberries, one of Peter's favorite scents. The vampire filled the tub almost to the brim before he stopped the flow of water and tested it before turning to Peter.</p><p>"Do you need help getting into the bath?" he asked.</p><p>Peter seemed to hesitate before he nodded. He stood up and took off his boxers, taking Aro's hand and stepping into the water. He sighed as he slid into the bath and closed his eyes, tilting his head back to rest against the edge of the tub. Aro smiled at the sight and walked away, rummaging around in the cabinets before returning with a black comb in his hands. </p><p>"What are you doing with that?" Peter asked, opening one eye and watching the vampire uneasily.</p><p>"Your hair is all tangled," Aro said. "May I comb it?"</p><p>Peter grunted his consent and Aro set to work, parting his lover's hair into sections and carefully combing out the knots, making soothing sound when Peter hissed when he found a tough one. Eventually, Peter's hair was smooth and free of tangles, albeit greasy from not being washed in several days.</p><p>"Is it alright if I wash your hair, dear?" Aro asked.</p><p>"Yeah, okay," Peter agreed. "But use the blackberry shampoo."</p><p>"Of course," Aro said, reaching for the bottle.</p><p>He rolled back the sleeves of his shirt, then used a cup to pour water over Peter's hair. He massaged the shampoo firmly into his lover's scalp, hearing him purr under the attention. Aro smiled and cupped a hand over Peter's eyes, shielding them as he rinsed his hair.</p><p>"You're doing wonderful, dearheart," Aro praised, grabbing Peter's robe from wear it hung on the bathroom door. </p><p>Peter managed a slight smile as he rose from the bath and slipped into the robe, tying the belt loosely. Aro handed him a towel to dry his hair.</p><p>"Have you brushed your teeth at all?" he asked.</p><p>"What do you think?" Peter asked, raising one eyebrow.</p><p>"Would you mind doing that for me?" Aro asked.</p><p>"Fine," Peter grumbled.</p><p>He walked over to the sink and began dutifully brushing his teeth. When he was done, Aro smiled at him and stroked his face again.</p><p>"Now, let's get you into some comfortable clothes get some food in you," he said.</p><p>Peter nodded in agreement and they walked back into the bedroom. Aro set some clothes out for him on the bed and turned to him.</p><p>"Do you need help getting dressed?" he asked.</p><p>"I think I can manage," Peter answered with a hint of his old wit in his voice.</p><p>Aro nodded and kissed his cheek, enjoying the red flush that crept across his lover's pale skin at the contact. He left Peter to get dressed and grabbed the bag of soup and water off the table, bringing it into the kitchen. He began preparing some soup after finding a clean bowl and a spoon. Peter came out of his room dressed and hoisted himself up to sit on the counter beside the vampire. He reached into the bag and took out one of the water bottles, twisting the cap off and taking a large slug.</p><p>"You're looking much better," Aro told him. "How do you feel?"</p><p>"Better," Peter answered, wiping his lips. He eyed the soup boiling on the stove. "Hungry."</p><p>"That's a good sign," Aro said. "Go have a seat on the couch. The soup will be ready in a minute."</p><p>Peter nodded and slid off the counter, taking the water with him as he sauntered toward the living room. Aro poured the soup into the bowl, turned off the stove, then brought the soup over to Peter. He was stretched out on the couch, holding his stuffed bat against his chest. His eyes were brighter and his skin had more color to it than before. </p><p>"Thanks," he said, taking the soup when Aro offered it to him.</p><p>"You're welcome," Aro replied. "You don't have to eat it all, but I would prefer it if you did."</p><p>Peter nodded and began eating. Aro left him to eat and went into the kitchen, cleaning up the broken dishes and putting them in the trash, then cleaning the ones in the sink and putting them away. By the time he came back into the living room, Peter had finished both the soup and the water and was sprawled out on the sofa again. Aro sat down with him and the hunter quickly moved to rest his head in the vampire's lap. Aro smiled and carded his fingers through Peter's soft hair.</p><p>"I feel so much better," Peter said, looking up at his lover. "Thank you for helping me."</p><p>"You're very welcome, my love," Aro said. "I'm glad I could help you. Thank you for letting me do so."</p><p>Peter smiled, his eyes shining, and leaned up to kiss him. Aro smiled against their lips, cupping Peter's face. When they separated, Peter laughed.</p><p>"I'm glad I brushed my teeth now," he said.</p><p>"As am I," Aro replied, pulling him into another kiss.</p>
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